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Why Europe matters

Europe has a significant Christian heritage but it no longer has a Christian present. The open question is what place will Christianity have in its future? There are many great gospel centred churches and movements hard at work all over the continent but is it enough?

Here are some facts as to why Europe still matters:

730-750 million people. That’s a lot of people. 11% of the world’s population live on 6% of it’s surface.

It’s wealth gives it considerable influence. The EU is the biggest economic market in the world. Five of the top ten richest countries are in Europe. In terms of aid programmes to developing nations, Europe is by far the biggest donor.

Europe is the leading educator of the rest of the world with twice as many international students being educated in Europe as in the US.

The fastest-growing religion in the world comes from Europe – Unbelief.

Most of the world’s church leaders are still centred in Europe. Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, Reformed Churches and others often still look to Europe for leadership which is ironic as Europe is by far the most secular of all continents.

Reach Europe and you can touch the world. Over 400 people groups live within Europe’s 48 nations and according to Operation World nearly 250 of them can be regarded as only partially evangelized at best and often completely unevangelized. In terms of distance, you do not have to travel far to reach an unreached people group in Europe.

Europe still has huge cultural and intellectual influence on the world.